Fate New Game Plus
by CleverPervertedPriest
Summary: Sequel to Fate Level Zero. Ten years have passed since the Fourth Grail War. Ancient powers stir once more as Masters are sought out and Servants summoned. And yet, the Chaos of the past War resurfaces as the Servants that were given were not quite as expected. Except Saber of course... and Archer.
1. Insanity Begins

**I do not own Fate/Stay Night nor any other Servants depicted here.**

Insanity Begins

Darkness. Total darkness. A great emptiness. Then, a pinprick of light. It grew larger and larger until it became big enough for a single story building. Then, it stepped through. A tall and masterfully crafted suit of armor stepped through the glowing pink and red portal. It was a deep dark blue color with some sort of long skirting with the same color. It had a horned, laughing skull on the utility belt. It had a golden two-headed eagle on the left pauldron and a green hydra on the right pauldron. Two metal draconic heads with glowing red mouths decorating the backpack, one on each side. An ornate helm, with red glowing eyes and squarish horns topped it off. In his right hand he held a metal staff with two blades rising from the top.

"I wish an audience, Angra Mainyu."

At that very instant, the world became a deep, dark blue.

"What does your Master want now... Sindri Myr?" asked All The World's Evils, taking the form of a humanoid shadow.

The sorcerer could only chuckle darkly and say, "My Lord wishes to... 'donate'... another soul to your little game." He then held up his free hand, revealing a small, blood red crystal oval in shape in the palm.

"Is that so... why does your Master want to 'donate' this to me?" questioned the shadow, "While the previous bargain was acceptable, what does he have to offer in return this time."

"In fact, it is not just my Lord this time. Another Lord, a Prince wishes to participate in this wonderful event," the sorcerer explained, "This particular soul, the Prince wishes to put it through a trial, to see if this soul is worthy of becoming one with him. If, say, this soul doesn't succeed, you may keep it. If it does, enough power shall be given to you in return for your efforts. Much like the last time."

The shadow remained silent, as if thinking. Then, it moved towards him and plucked the precious stone out of the palm of his gauntlet. "Please, relay to your Prince my grateful thanks," Angra Mainyu told him, "I will put this to good use."

"Assuredly so," Sindri agreed. As he turned to face the portal, he said further, "If I may, I would suggest you place that soul under Lancer. My former Class may also apply but... we should not make things too easy for it."

"I shall take that into consideration, Sindri Myr."

"Very well. I wish you well in your War, so to say," the sorcerer wished, getting the last word as he stepped through the portal. As the portal closed, knowing that his voice wont be traveling through it anytime soon, he said, "Not that it matters. In the end, the Architect's plans succeed in the end." One could hear him smiling under that helm.

* * *

Snow crinkled and cracked underfoot. Little feet ran through the snow laden forest, the howl of wolves filling the air behind her. In her arms she clutched a slab of rock half the size of her body. Heavy was her breath and could be seen in the frosty air. Illyasviel von Einzbern did not care for that. Her white dress was in tatters but she paid no heed to that either. What she felt now was anger; angry that she was tossed out in the woods to summon her Servant, angry that the wolves had decided to disrupt her summoning, angry at herself that she wasn't fast enough to complete the summoning. All she could do now was run and hope the wolves give up chase, then she could start again. But, she could feel herself slowing down, her legs straining to listen to her mind, her arms aching at carrying the slab of rock with her. With this much on her mind, she somehow missed an overgrown root and she tripped over; the slab was dropped and she tumbled over in the snow. Turning around on the snow, she could see the chasing wolves slowing down and moving to surround her. Scrambling to grab the slab, she backed herself against the tree, holding it in front of her like a makeshift shield.

"_No! I cannot die now! I have to finish the summoning!_" she screamed in her mind as the wolves circled around her. Attempting to calm herself and do what must be done in spite of the wolves circling her, she chanted, "Let it be declared now; your flesh shall serve under me and my fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. Answer if you will submit to this truth and this will. An oath shall be sworn here. I shall attain all the virtues in Heaven..."

Her chant suddenly interrupted as one of the wolves suddenly leaped at her; she pushed against it with the slab. Her arms already tired, strained and screamed as they pushed and held the wolf back, all the while she continued chanting, "... I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell. Yet you shall serve with your eyes clouded by chaos. For you would be one caged in madness. I shall wield your chains."

The strain on her arms suddenly relaxed, the wolf retreating for no apparent reason. Surprised, she could not react in time; the slab fell down, the piece of rock it was. She didn't dare to grab it again, for surely the wolves would lunge at her. She could only complete the chant and hope that Berserker would be summoned in time.

"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the Holy Balance."

Nothing happened.

She blinked. Did she forget something? Was there a word out of place? She didn't know. All she knew was that her Servant did not come forth. Faced with the wolves, instead of feeling afraid, she was angry.

"_After all that, I failed? Damn these wolves!_" she raged as she glared at the predators, as if challenging them to come, "_If they want to feast, then let them. I hope to choke them with my bones_." All that preparation was for nothing. She wouldn't get to participate in the war. She wouldn't be able to win. Worst of all, she wouldn't get to meet the boy that took her father away from her. She wouldn't be able to get revenge.

One of the wolves then took a running leap at her. She stared angrily at it; at its drooling and gaping maw, at its sharp teeth, at it's hungry eyes. Then...

Blood.

A jagged blade, buried into the side of the leaping wolf. The markings that she could see burned orange. The blade was connected to a long chain. It was tugged. The chain, blade and wolf flew back to its owner, who roared in rage. All anger left her and she was amazed at his strength; the blade returned to his hand and the wolf's head landed in the other. With one swift motion, he tore the blade out of it, nearly separating the body into two. The wolves seem to be drawn to the newcomer, all of them moving to surround him. With a growl, the man reached to his back and pulled the blade's twin. Both parties stared at each other; the man turning around as if taking stock of how many wolves there were, the pack instinctively formed a circle around him to ensure their prey does not escape. Then, both sides attacked.

Raising his arms to his chest, the man threw out his blades to the sides, impaling two leaping ones on each side. Tugging the chains, he swung his arms up; the blades followed direction, the bodies of the dead animals getting thrown off like rag dolls into their brethren. Then, he lowered himself down, swinging his arms back; the blades, floating limply in the air seconds earlier, flew down and arced with deadly accuracy into the jaws of another pair of wolves. His body was readied like a spring, his legs pushing against the ground as he went airborne; the blades were ripped out of the meat and bone with such force that it drew even more blood out of the deceased. He landed, pulling the chains with all his might; they seemed to be ablaze with orange flames as they impacted the final victim, the metal cutting through the body like a hot knife, crushing bone like it was paper.

The remaining wolves ran away with their tails between their legs, their instinct finally overriding their hunger. Her anger had all but washed away at that display of power. She actually did it. She actually summoned a Servant of the Berserker class. Though granted he didn't seem to match the description of Hercules but no matter. His power, his prowess and those chained blades would definitely make up for that.

He then stepped up to her, his rage seemingly abated, and knelt before her. She smiled gratefully at him.

"You look weak." he told her upfront. She would have started shouting at him had he not continued, "Yet as I came forth, I saw a little girl staring defiantly at a vicious looking wolf. To stare so defiantly at death in the face tells me otherwise. For now... you are my Master."

* * *

He was impeccably dressed in white. Jubstacheit von Einzbern awaited patiently for Illyasviel to return; the castle gates would remain open until night. If she should not return, then... he would have to make another. She sees him as her grandfather. In context, he would agree as he was the one who made Irisviel, his greatest achievement to date. He poured much of his time training and grooming her to be the Einzbern's next representative for the next War; an equal amount of effort was taken to secretly procure materials from the Greater Grail itself to try and summon a Servant. He greatly hoped that it was worth doing so. It would be quite a shame for all this to fail.

Two specks in the distance interested him greatly. As they came nearer, he frowned. Yes, the young homunculus was able to summon a Servant, that much seemed true. Yet, he was somewhat disappointed in the Servant that was called forth. A bald muscular man with a black goatee clad in a loincloth held up by a bronze belt. A few pieces of golden armor adorned his right shoulder and lower arm. The left side of his body had a red tattoo snaking around it. A pair of handles seem to be coming from his back, probably his weapons. A mix of leather, metal and chains seem to make up his arm and wrist guards. The oddest thing was the Servant's skin; it was as pale as the full moon at night. No where in the legends and myths described Hercules like this. She most likely made some mistake and called forth the wrong Servant.

"I have returned, grandfather," she said, holding on to the slab of rock close to her side.

He took a few seconds to look over the Servant and the homunculus. The Servant didn't seem to care but she seemed to be nervously calm. He then cleared his throat and said, "I feel a little disappointed. To think after all that was provided to you, you still summoned the wrong Servant. I doubt he could even compare to Hercules him..."

"Berserker! Lay down your arms!" she suddenly shouted.

A magus walks with death. But never had he been so close to death as he was now. He could barely feel the the jagged edge of Berserker's blade on the side of his neck, a hair's breath away.

"I owe much to my grandfather. It is thanks to him I am able to call you out, Berserker," she addressed the enraged Servant calmly, "So, if you would please let him off, just this once."

The man growled but withdrew his blade, but he did give Acht this warning, "Say that name again and there will be nothing left to bury you with."

Annoyingly, the homunculus quipped, "I am fine with that."

The old magus harrumphed and explained calmly as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, "I am merely concerned. I have never heard of a Berserker such as yourself, thus I question whether your powerful enough to aid her in winning the Grail for us."

The Servant glared at him; he did not flinch, he only stared back, fully expecting an answer.

"I will only tell you this," the Servant finally said. Acht waited patiently for it. Yet, what he got, he did not expect. "Lack of belief did not end the... Age of the Gods," the Servant spat out in contempt, the last few words he uttered more harshly than the others.

"...I did."

**Commentary:-**

**Well, not as long as many of you would probably want... but I think it makes a good prologue. Welcome back, dear readers, to the sequel of Fate Level Zero. Named Fate/New Game Plus. This chapter started this way since I did read that little Illya summoned Berserker a whole two months in advance. After reading that, I was thinking I had better get this out of the way then since this being the earliest summoning. Not to worry, the rest of the other Servant intro's will be done in the next chapter. Rest assured I will try to make them as weird as this one. Most definitely.  
**

**Now, that aside, I can already guess everyone knows who Berserker is. Right? I think I pretty much gave a good description of him, as well as a bit of his notoriety. And then... there's Sindri. Yes, there will be another Warhammer 40k character, but this time in the Lancer class. Why another, you ask? Well, mostly because of that little black book that was created in the previous fic. As to who is being offered? Well, the clues are that little red crystal... and the aforementioned Prince.  
**

**And last but not least, would you kindly review?**


	2. Unexpected Start

**I do not own Fate/Stay Night nor any other Servants depicted here.**

Unexpected Start

She waited patiently at the top of the stone steps. Her companion, a man, was busy bringing up their luggage... his luggage. Instead of the expensive hotel he had booked, upon her plans, they moved to the out of the way mountain temple. They booked a room and had everything sent there. When everything had been settled in, the monks that attended to them bid good night and left. They were all alone in the room.

"You are a most troublesome Master," the woman said as she slowly sauntered up to him. The man's face was impassive, but his eyes told a different story; angry but also fearful. "Still, the items you have brought along for this War is quite impressive. I look forward to making use of it myself. Sad that you would not be around to see it," she told him before she started chanting while aiming a hand at him. The man's eyes widened in fright; he did not recognize the language she was using, but he somehow knew he did not want to be around when it happened. As she uttered the final word, the man promptly burst into flames.

She sighed in annoyance. As much as she didn't really want to do this, that man got under her skin a bit too much. Do this. Do that. The nerve of him. Sure he wanted the other Servants to eliminate each other, but he didn't have to treat her as a literal servant! Why couldn't he bring his own servants instead of using her? Then again, what else could she expect from him? He had most of his time buried in his books like one of those stupid wizards at the Academy. Well, at least now, she didn't have to hear that grating voice. Good riddance to him. But now, she had a problem of keeping herself here. Using those magical items can only go so far...

A knock on the door brought her out of her train of thought and she remained silent. The door then slid open, revealing a bespectacled man in blue robes those monks wore. But this man had a full mop of hair on his head. But, she then remembered the dying embers of her former Master and silently prepared a Fireball spell. If she had to do something about this, then might as well go in a blaze of glory. She was quite surprised when the man took one look at the smouldering embers and asked, "Do you wish to move to another room, miss? At least until I clean the room."

This brought a smile to her face. It intrigued her, this man and his behavior. He must have had experience in such matters if he did not flinch at the sight of a dying body. This man could be of help to her. "But of course," she replied gracefully, "How thoughtful of you to notice. If you do not mind, may I have your name?"

"Kuzuki Souichirou."

"Well, it is nice to meet you," she said with a smile, "You can just refer to me as... Caster."

* * *

She did not want to go to Japan. She had heard much of the Japanese there from her family, most of them bad. However, when the Edelfelt's were invited to participate once more in the Holy Grail War, they couldn't say no despite their dislike for the country itself. And so Luviagelita Edelfelt found herself being sent there a year early under guise of an exchange student. She had no problems blending with the society there. Housing was not a problem, having already arranged to have a rather large estate to herself, as well as a few trusted members of staff from her home. Pretty much the only stumbling block came in the form of Rin Tohsaka. At first disliking her just because she was a Tohsaka, Luvia started finding in her a kindred spirit and she did come enjoy the private spats she had with her as well as the constant one upping on each other in public. With her popularity starting to compare to Rin's, Luvia had no doubt she had become her rival in those terms. Which is why she took great pleasure in summoning her Servant earlier than she did. At least she was quite sure she did it earlier than Rin.

As the smoke of the summoning dissipated, her expectations were thrown out the window. As someone expecting one of the knight classes of the Servants, she did not expect someone wearing of all things, a formal all black suit. He had straight, layered, shoulder length hair and a short beard. Black gloves and black boots complete his attire. Very visible around his neck was an intricately made pendant; it looked quite beautifully crafted. He gave himself a look over. "Hmm, it's gonna be like this? I guess it'll do... though I wish I had more of my abilities," he was heard muttering. Then he noticed her.

The new Servant seemed to look at her with a careful eye. "Well, I don't like the fact that I need to fight in a war," he finally said after a moment of silence, "But since I was brought here anyway, might as well make the best of it. I am Rider for this war. You must be my Master."

With as much poise and confidence she could muster for this unprecedented Servant, she answered, "Yes, that I am."

A moment of silence went by before she stifled a yawn and said, "I think this has gone on long enough. We will formulate plans later. I need to sleep for school tomorrow."

"Heh, then by your leave, I'll go exploring for a bit," Rider informed her with a slight smile.

"Fine, fine," she said as she waved him off, already on her way to her bedroom. In the morning, she had to notify the mediator... and the rest of the day gloating in front of Tohsaka.

* * *

Bazett Fraga McRemitz took a few steps back as the smoke billowed about.

"Surely you aren't afraid of a bit of smoke, Bazett," chided Kirei as he kept his concentration on the magic circle on the ground.

"It just took me aback, that's all," she retorted, lightly glaring at him, "You never said anything about the summoning having this much smoke."

"I barely had any," he calmly stated.

"Hmph," she sounded out as she stepped back next to him. Secretly, she was quite excited. She was taking part in the Fifth Holy Grail War and she was now summoning her hero, the great Cú Chulainn. She could hardly contain herself. Yet, as the Servant was revealed, she could only stare in shock.

The Servant was encased in full body armor. Well, that's what the upper body looked like. Below that was a long closed skirt. Four ridged spires seem to come from the back,two going vertical and two horizontal, as well as a full body cloak. The helm was elongated and was as tall as the horizontal spires. And by far the most fascinating aspect was that littered on places on the armor and on the skirt were runes. At least, they looked like runes. But, they were nothing like she had seen before. They glowed a ghost-like blue color and she could sense a barely restrained power radiating from them.

Yet, as magnificent as the Servant was, she did not intend to summon him... or her. She summoned the Hound of Ulster, damn it! "Wait a minute! I thought I summoned Cú Chulainn!" she cried out in protest.

"It would seem it has happened again," the priest muttered. As if she couldn't hear him.

"Just what are you talking about, Kirei?" she asked, still staring in disbelief at the Servant.

"A few oddities were summoned as Servants in the previous War," he explained, "It makes one wonder why."

"Right..." Then, addressing the Servant in front of her, she asked, "Who are you?"

The Servant spoke in a semi-melodious voice, "Lancer." It sounded feminine. And then, she faded out, shifting to spirit form.

"You may not have gotten the hero you wanted, but you still gained a Lancer," the priest stated impassively, "I shall make note of this."

Bazett groaned and cursed under her voice. True, she did not get Cú Chulainn, but she seemed to have gotten a strong Servant. Although, only time will tell if this was worth it.

* * *

Sakura watched as the smoke coalesced within the magic circle, her step brother monitoring her progress behind her. Her days with the family were bearable; Byakuya was no Kariya oji-san, but he did not treat her any worse than Zouken. She was eternally grateful when the old man suddenly disappeared. But then, neither did she shed any tears for Byakuya when he passed on, since he was just... there. Shinji was a different thing entirely. Just because his father had declared her the heir on the day he died, he started to show his resentment for a while, but she quickly put him in place. He would not be laying his hands on her anymore, not after using her newly trained powers.

That was another thing. She was entirely grateful to the strange shadow being that came to her in her dreams. It taught her much; how to mold and shape the shadows like a plaything, like a piece of clay. At first she did not want to learn. While she was from a line of superior magi, knowing that most of her childhood was stripped away from her just because of what she was, it was safe to say that she did not like magecraft. Yet the being was adamant in honing her talent, at least just for self defense. Needless to say, it did pay off after all. After Shinji, she was diligent in learning, if only to show her gratitude to the shadowy being. Yesterday was to be a final session before the war.

* * *

"You have improved greatly, young one," _the shadow said to her._

"Thank you, master," _she replied gratefully. They trained in a plain looking world, white sky and black ground. The darkness cast on the ground was endless and very good for the manipulation of shadows that she learned from it._

"I have heard that you have been chosen."

_It sounded like a query more than a statement._ "Yes, I have. I do have a wish..." she started.

"It is no matter. You do not have to tell me what it is," _the being said as it held up a hand for a moment_, "I only wish to tell you that... this War will be your proving ground. This will be the time to see if my training has borne fruit. So today shall be our final session before it begins. If you are successful, this means that I have no more to teach you."

"I... I will not let you down," _she vowed before him. She did not feel sure if there would be a chance for her to showcase what she could do, but when it comes to that point, she will give it all she has._

"That is all I need."

* * *

What stepped out of the smoke, she could never have guessed. The Servant she summoned had worn something fairly reminiscent of an officer's uniform a few centuries ago. He was probably a captain of some ship, though there did not seem to be any medals or any insignias on his shoulders that signified rank. He had messy dark brown hair, brown eyes and a short shaven beard.

"I am Assassin. Which of you is my Master?" the Servant asked as he brought his left arm across his chest, like a salute of some sort. Sakura noticed a rather peculiar tattoo on his hand; it looked like a eye to her.

"I am your Master, Assassin," she spoke up. Assassin nodded towards her, to show his understanding.

"You do not look like an Assassin," Shinji suddenly spoke up rather haughtily, "Where is your mask?"

"My mask is for my enemies and by extension, my Master's enemies," the Servant answered rather stoically, "If you wish to see it... well, it shall be the last thing you see..." He left his sentence hanging; the Servant didn't sound like he liked being questioned that way.

The boy harrumphed rather shakily and said hesitantly, "Well... I... I'll leave this to you, Sakura." He turned and walked to the exit, but she did notice his shaky steps as he walked upstairs.

She turned back to her Servant and said, "Please, try to take what he says to heart. My stepbrother does mean well, even though he has a bad way of showing it."

"By your orders then, Master," Assassin told her as he stood there, a flicker of emotion passing through before settling into his stoic mask once again.

Sakura then took a deep breath and said, "Alright. You may go ahead and scout around. I still have one more thing to do before turning in."

* * *

The gramophone crackled and hummed a bit before once again falling silent. Truthfully, Sakura hadn't the faintest idea on how it worked, only that it was tuned to another, sister gramophone via magecraft. She assumed her... 'father'... had something to do with it. She was quite surprised when the local priest had stopped by unannounced and offered it to her. At first she had refused, but when it was told to her that he was her sister's guardian and that it was for her as a form of communication, did she accept in the end. Now it lay on a side table on one side of her Kariya-ojisan's room... well... now it was her room. At the very least, it doesn't run on electricity, so it does not factor into the monthly bill. Not that it mattered anyway. She doesn't eat at home, and since he doesn't like cooking, Shinji dines out every night. She preferred to dine with Fujimura-sensei and... her Senpai. The only times she ever felt complete.

"_Sakura_?" asked a voice all of a sudden. A familiar voice.

"Hello, Rin," she greeted a little tiredly, "I just finished my summoning. How was yours?"

"_Hn... there was a bit of trouble... I was successful but I... now have a hole in my roof... stupid Servant_..."

She held back a giggle, feeling that her sister went through enough for one night. "I guess this means you can get over what Edelfelt said to you?" she asked in return.

"... _I wish you didn't bring that up_..." her sister grumbled over the 'phone'. And then she came back with a vengeance with, "_And what about you? Why are you still going over to that Emiya boy's house? Didn't he recover from his injuries_?"

"Wh... Rin...!" she stuttered, embarrassment sending her cheeks red as she molded her face into a pout, "... that's mean..." She could hear a bit of muffled chuckling on the other end.

"_By the way, you didn't mention what Servant you got_."

"... Assassin. Why?" she asked curiously, the red face now fading away.

Her sister sighed and said, "_I got an Archer... I was hoping for a Saber but I suppose I have to work with what I am given. Strategy-wise, I could always ask you to spy on the other Masters and then have Archer attack at the most opportune time..._"

Now it was Sakura's turn to sigh; Rin always got serious like this when magecraft was concern, though she would be highly aggravated if Edelfelt was involved.

"Rin, we could always talk about these things later," she began to reason with her, "We have school tomorrow. And I was hoping..."

"_Yes, yes, I know. I will let that idiot priest know about you too_," the other girl said, sounding a bit dismissive, "_It will be the first thing I do before I go to school. You on the other hand, will be going to see that boy of yours before school_."

"B- wha- Rin...!" the violet haired girl groaned out after a stutter, "He is not my boy..." After a moment, she whispered out with a blush, "Yet..."

"._...Good night, Sakura..._" She could almost picture a smirk on her sister's face when she heard that.

"Good night, Rin."

* * *

Rin smirked in amusement as the connection closed. Truthfully, she needed that; ten years working hard at her craft as well as elective lessons from her guardian, she was sure she would be able to summon a Saber class Servant. Alas, it was not to be. Still, when she heard Sakura had gotten an Assassin, she could not help but to think of what the priest told her. That her father used the Assassin he summoned to spy on the other Masters. She could take it one step further as to get Assassin to reveal the locations of the other Masters and Servants, and then have Archer take them out from afar. No doubt they would be able to win the War in record time if all goes according to plan.

"It seems that I was summoned by a farsighted Master," said Archer behind her, apparently having stopped his cleaning duty to eavesdrop on her, "To think there was already an alliance in place before the War even began." But then, he also said, "I do not know if I trust her just yet. This may all be a ploy to stab you in the back, Master, seeing that she summoned Assassin."

Her face twitched; with her back to him, she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or genuine. All the same, she didn't like what he was going with this.

"She and I have been... friends since we were children," she began as she disabled the gramophone, "We are as close as sisters." Having done so, she turned to face him, looking a bit stern, "Yes, she is a magus. Yes, she is also a Master. I also know for a fact that, yes, she will do what it takes to win. That, I have no doubt of. What I do not like is that you think she will not honor her promise to me." She took a few steps and folded her arms in front of her, stating her facts resolutely, "The both of us will work together until we are the only one's left. Then, it will be down to a battle between Servant's. This, I am sure I will win, for I am sure that the Assassin class cannot compare to the Archer class."

She took in another breath before finishing, "Thus, I will win the War, bringing more recognition to the Tohsaka name and you will get your wish."

"My, what a terrifying Master I have," the Servant admitted as he closed his eyes, nodding in understanding.

"Well, now that we understand each other," she said as she turned her back in the white haired Servant, "Please continue working downstairs. I want to see it cleaned up by the time I wake up."

"A terrifying Master, indeed."

* * *

Noel sighed in relief as she wheeled her bicycle away from the kōban. A good walk around the neighborhood was sorely needed after being cooped up in there for most of the evening. While she walked, she looked back at the reports she had just read through, feeling quite disturbed by the strange deaths happening around Miyama the past week. Other than a few that seemed to have mysteriously ingested acid, almost all the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Autopsies confirmed it. The higher ups seemed to be quite upset that a 'vigilante' was going around killing what they consider 'excitable people'. While there were a few snatch thieves and robbers among that number, many of them were part of the local yakuza and many were worried that this might end up like a witch hunt if the Fujimura group became too riled up. Meaning they might take matters into their own hands and potentially harm the public.

And then there was the issue of the familiar feeling of other Servant's going around. Funnily enough, she started sensing them when the bodies started turning up. She had a feeling that the two were linked in some way.

"_Either one of the Masters is ordering their Servant to consume their souls or its the Servant's own doing_," she mused as she wheeled her bike along, "_If anything, I have to try and put a stop to this. Maybe if I can find the Master of that Servant, then_..." She stopped in her tracks, that familiar feeling suddenly popping up again. It seemed to be... heading towards her. She felt tense, but tried to calm herself down. If anything, she had to look unassuming. Then, she continued on her way. She almost stopped and stared when a young, white haired girl dressed in purple walked past her. But her nerves held on and she went on her way.

"_That was close. I really don't want to go looking for fights_," she thought to herself, "_Still, that girl looked awfully familiar_..."

It was then she encountered him. Emiya Shirou, adopted son of Emiya Kiritsugu. From what she could overhear from passing students during her morning patrols, this person goes out of his way to help out, to the extent of also being known as the 'fake janitor' of the school. Also, she had also suspected that Saber's former Master had been teaching the boy magecraft, though she was grateful that they had kept that part of their lives well hidden.

"Emiya? What are you doing out so late?" she called out as she noticed the young man with short, messy red hair. She leaned the bike against the wall before stepping up to him.

"Eh, Officer Mackenzie?" the young man blurted out in surprise, "I was on my way back when... well, did you see the little girl passing by earlier?"

Noel raised a brow. "_Did that girl say something to him_?" she did wonder. But then again, while she did suspect that girl was a Master, it was probably for Emiya's sake that she did not drag him into this. He would probably try his best to worm his way into her investigation to 'help out'. "A little girl, Emiya?" she repeated, sounding a little concerned, before starting to tease him, "Why, I would have thought you liked girls your age."

"Wh- what?! No, I did not mean it that way!" he vehemently protested, "I just... ah, never mind. I have to get back home. I'm sort of late as it is." With that, he quickly made a hasty retreat.

She sighed as she took off her bowler hat and ran her hand through her hair. "_It is not a mistake_," she contemplated as she replaced her hat, "_The less people involved in this, the better. If anything, I have to find out who is participating and try to convince them there is something wrong with the War. I should probably make contact with the mediator_..." She took in a worried breath and exhaled, retrieving her bike, "_Then again, if that man survived... I think some surveillance is in order before I make my next move_."

**Commentary:-**

**There we go! All Servants summoned except Saber. All are welcome to go crazy guessing who is who. Still, I forgive me if I make any mistakes in Masters personalities. Luvia, not sure if I match her original personality, so forgive me any fans of her. Also, hopefully Rin and Sakura are up to standard, also taking consideration what they got from the 4th War. And, for those feeling confused about the timeline for the summonings, all this was done over a span of a week. Caster was a full seven days before Saber's summoning(bSs), so a good amount of time before she gets fed up with her Master and takes matters into her own hands. Rider, 4 days bSs. Lancer, 3 days bSs. Archer and Assassin, 2 days bSs. Finally, Noel's scene was a day bSs. You know what? Next chapter is Saber... and everyone cheers... well, mostly everyone, I guess.  
**

**Also, it seems luck has favored me, since I actually stumbled upon a Youtuber named Zer Blade who documented the entire VN. All. Three. Paths. Including bad endings and Tiger Dojo's. I love this person so much. Now I have another source to pull info from. So Awesome! Yahoo!  
**

**Another thing. Thank you kind sirs for thine reviews. Just about everyone successfully guessed Berserker's identity. No MadFrog, I'm not having Eldrad Ulthran as Lancer. I do not recall his soul stone being captured by Chaos. Then again, I don't follow WH40K that much after I stopped playing DOW, so...  
**

**I also have two important questions. One, what do you think of the preview chapter before this?I wanted to do something similar like the anime episodes of Fate/Zero where they flash the Command Seals while they have the characters talking. Take it as another way of knowing when a chapter is coming out. The preview just tells that the chapter is finished and its being beta-ed right now. Then, Preview will be deleted and a day later the full chapter should appear.  
**

**Two, should Shirou still have his near death experience next chapter? Based on the Servants that I put here, it is well within my power to not have him experience it. Yet, this also means Rin will not be able to use her mana filled heirloom. So... what sort of alternative do you want, readers? Please leave it in your review, would you kindly?  
**


	3. The Fateful Day

**I do not own Fate/Stay Night nor any other Servants depicted here.**

The Fateful Day

Caster patiently waited for the man to serve the breakfast. While she did not need to eat, after having had her fill last night, she did appreciate being waited upon. It reminded her of her youth, before being sent to that dreadful Academy of books and studying and other horrible things. While the food here is not at rich or marvelously decorated, it was enough.

"Will that be all, Caster?" Souichirou intoned politely.

She nodded and he left the room. That helpful man, she had already explained to him briefly on what being her 'Master' entailed. Suffice to say, he did not make a fuss and accepted as it is. What else was there to say? It is rare to find good help such as this, though she did not like the place where she was summoned. At this time of the year, supposedly, it was horribly cold and while her clothes gave her some form of protection, it sometimes was not enough. Thank goodness for the hot water and warm blankets she always came back to after her nightly escapades.

She paused to look out, watching the fading morning mist as it danced amongst the trees. In a strange sort of way, it reminded of her... adventures she had with the Knight-Commander. A sort of good man he was. As far as she knew, the only one who accepted her as she was. The only one that 'asked' her to do something, instead of 'order' her to. Very different from her first Master. In the end, she was quite sad that he wanted both her and Sand on his side. Perhaps... perhaps, her arguments with that stupid elf were too petty. She should have sided with him regardless her differences with the wizard instead of siding with the enemy out of spite against that same wizard. Then again, she was still quite sure that she was correct and the wizard was wrong.

Oh well, there would be time for remembering later. For now, she had to conserve her energy, since she will have to go hunting for criminals tonight. If only there were more brigands or pirates roaming around, then she would have no shortage of supply to draw from.

A knock on the door and the man entered again. He was wearing something different now, looking quite presentable. "I shall be leaving for work now," he told her, "If you wish for anything, you can request it from the monks." With that, he left.

She doubted she would need anything now. All she had to do now was rest and keep warm.

* * *

The limousine stopped a few meters away from the gate. Luvia stayed seated for a moment, not wanting to exit the vehicle just yet. It has been a few days since she got Rider and showed her superiority to Rin. That Tohsaka hid it well, but she could tell the Japanese girl was seething at her whispered proclamation. After all, the War was to be kept secret. And now, she was also certain that Rin had summoned her own Servant in reply. Perhaps it was time for them to compare which was more powerful. Another competition. The thought of it made her feel impatient for evening.

"Rider, would you do the honors of inviting Tohsaka to our little meeting?" she asked.

"Sure," the Servant replied, coming out of spirit form while seating himself opposite her, "But, are you sure about this? I mean, this whole thing hasn't even started yet."

"But of course, Rider," she assured him, "Think of it as a spar of sorts... as well as information gathering. Why should we not get to know our enemies?"

"I guess that's all right," he conceded, "Well, you know how to get me." He went back to spirit form.

She nodded and then finally exited the vehicle. At that moment, who else would pass by her but Shirou Emiya. She halted and watched him walk side by side with Sakura Matou. They didn't really notice her getting out, as she was sitting on the other side, but she was sure they knew who was in here. Who else would come to school in a limousine? She waited a moment, waiting for them to go past the gates into school. Truthfully, she wondered why she was acting like this. True, she... liked him. He was a simple man, and good man too, always willing to help others in need of it. She never did have time to get to know him better, as she was always trying to one up Tohsaka. Plus, that Matou girl had already gotten a leg up on her by visiting him the past year while he was injured. She could have kicked herself for letting that chance slip by. But now seemed like the perfect chance. She waited until the Matou left him alone before greeting him.

"Oh, good morning, Edelfelt," he returned the greeting, looking slightly surprised, "I didn't expect you to be at school so early."

"O ho ho, why wouldn't I be early?" she said rather happily, in that he actually recognized her, being that he always seemed busy helping the student council repair things, "It doesn't matter that I am not with any clubs, but that I am here earlier than Rin Tohsaka. I must at least show I am better than that unbearable girl."

"Um... that's fine if you do that. It's quite up to you," he said slowly, seemingly a bit startled by her sudden chattiness, "But, maybe you shouldn't take it too far. Being competitive is good an all, but you really shouldn't say bad things about people behind their back."

"Ah... maybe you're right," she said with a tint of red on her cheeks, feeling a little flustered and somewhat embarrassed. Why did she suddenly say that? She could have kicked herself right there. Yet what a gentleman he is. Instead of talking down on her, he politely corrected her. It was certainly worth it to talk to him, if only for a moment. "Well, I'm sure you have other things to do than to talk to me. I'll leave you to that. Good bye, Shirou," she quickly said before hurrying past him towards the school building, missing his reply that echoed her goodbye.

* * *

Bazett was feeling quite restless and annoyed. That Servant of hers seemed to have closed herself off in one of the rooms in this abandoned manor. She knew she was still there, but she didn't know what that Servant was doing. There only so many times she could scout around the city, while enduring curious looks from the locals. She was quite fed up about. Why couldn't she have gotten Cú Chulainn was beyond her. Damned Grail. She was starting to feel that it wasn't worth it since she couldn't meet the Hound of Ulster in person.

Deciding she had enough of her Servant's lack of action, she went up to her room and knocked.

"Lancer? Lancer?" she called out as she rapped the door. There was no answer... was her Servant ignoring her? As much as she wanted to kick down the door and start berating her Servant, she also knew that both Master and Servant needed to work together to win the War and gain the wish. So, she just opened the door. Her knocking should have already alerted her Servant to her entering.

She found herself feeling dumbfounded when she saw her Servant floating several meters in the air, sitting cross-legged as if in meditation. She saw several more of those strange runes floating and going around her in circles; some fast, some slow. Just then, she watched as the Servant floated down, feet presumably touching the ground. Not that she could see through that rune-inscribed skirt of her Servant. The floating runes disappeared.

"Leave," her Servant told her curtly, "I will not have you intrude on my divination."

"Look, I've given you your space but I've had enough of this," Bazett fired back, "For the past few days you have done nothing but remain in this room. I don't know what you think are doing but you can't just sit here and expect the War to win itself."

"I am simply discovering my next course of action," Lancer replied, "This is not something a Mon-keigh can understand, nor shall I deign an explanation. Leave. Now."

... did her Servant just call her a monkey?

"Now look here, Lancer..." she began again, this time readying her Command Seals. If this Servant refuses to listen... well, she didn't like her hand to be forced into this, but so be it. Before she could continue, however, she found herself flying out of the room and crashing against the wall. She crumpled to the floor; catching her breath, she looked up and found herself facing the point of a spear. A white spear with the upper part of the shaft decorated with intricate markings and gleaming gemstones. There seemed to be a tube connecting the head and the shaft, coiling partly around. And for some strange reason, she could hear the spear... humming?

"Very few of the Mon-keigh have gained my respect," Lancer stated, making as if to glare at her, "You, however, are not one of them. Do not intrude again, or my spear will find your neck faster than you can use those Seals." With that, she withdrew her spear and turned around, the door somehow slamming shut behind her. Leaving behind a rather shocked and troubled Bazett.

* * *

Archer was concerned, even though he did not show it. When he found out recently that Rin was actually on friendly terms with Sakura, and that she summoned an Assassin instead of a Rider, he could not have been more surprised. Then, since there was no Rider, there was no boundary field to sense when they arrived at school that morning. To top it off, Luvia Edelfelt was present in Fuyuki. He knew about her family's history with the previous Wars and yet despite them having sworn off Japan, she was here. The promise of the wish as well as the chance to redeem their failure during the third War seemed to be too irresistible. And now, this strange man that appeared before them when they were on the roof of the school.

School had ended and they were making plans on what to do, when the door to the roof swung open and out stepped a rather well dressed man with long white hair and a short beard. He didn't know who this man was but he noticed the man stare at him for a moment before addressing his Master. He was still in spirit form. It can only mean one thing.

A Servant.

"Ah, Tohsaka Rin? Rin Tohsaka? Mmm, I guess the first one is correct?" the man half greeted in a friendly manner, "Anyway, it's a bit hard to keep track of you, young lady. Especially since you upped and left your class even before I got away from Luvia's side."

"Luvia... so, I presume you are her Servant?" Rin asked cautiously. Archer could sense her tensing up, ready to take action at a moment's notice. He was doing the same. And apparently, the Servant in front of them sensed the same.

"Hey, hey, no need to be so tense," the Servant assured them, holding his hands up in front of him to show his peace, "Luvia just wanted to invite you to a get together. A meeting. Down at one of the clearings down there. Sports fields, I guess you call them? Besides, we aren't supposed to start yet, right? I mean, there is still one more left."

"... You are right in one aspect," she begrudgingly said, "The War hasn't officially begun. I can only presume she wishes to gauge my strength in this... Fine, before I agree to anything, which class are you?"

Oh? Smart. Based on his laid back attitude, the Servant would probably answer without much thought.

"Rider, at your serv..." he started before pausing. "Tch, great... now she gets angry," Rider muttered before sighing, "Heh, good one, young lady. I guess I'm sorta too honest for this. Oh well, what's done is done. I suppose you agree to the meeting now?" Getting a nod from her, he continued, "Well, seeya later then." He left them, shifting to spirit form.

Archer continued to look at the open doorway, still on guard but slightly baffled. "_Are you sure about this_?" he asked, although he knew this was just a rhetorical question to him.

"Yes," she answered as she turned around to look down the side of the building, "To think she has the nerve to challenge me today. I know I may be reading too much into this, but this is definitely a challenge. Up to now, she stands in my way of becoming the sole top student in school... and now this. I will not let this go unanswered."

He sighed and said, "_What a headstrong Master I have_."

* * *

Night fell quickly. The school was deserted, the teachers having announced a curfew beforehand. All except a few certain individuals.

"Oh, I see you decided to come after all," Luvia exclaimed in fake surprise, "I would have thought you too scared of the cold." Behind her stood the well dressed man in black.

"Save your airs and graces, Edelfelt. There is no one else around to fool," Rin grounded out in annoyance, "Why invite me all the way out here when the War hasn't officially begun yet?" A well tanned man in red stood by her side.

"What? Am I not allowed to scout out the competition?" Luvia asked in shock before turning to a haughty sneer, "Then again, I doubt I would be facing much of that with you around. Perhaps I should have saved you for last when I have dispensed with the others."

Rin's brow twitched. "Edelfelt..." she grounded out angrily, "Is that so..." She lifted her arm and pointed at her enemy. "Gandr," she intoned to herself as she narrowed her eyes. The blond's eyes widened as she dodged the small black orb that was sent her way.

"What!? Are you trying to kill me!?" she shouted in disbelief at the Tohsaka.

"Oh no, I wasn't 'trying' to kill you," the black haired girl politely retorted with smirk, "I 'am going' to kill you."

"Why you...!?" the blond snarled, her face red in anger as she tore off her sleeves to reveal her well toned arms. Tossing the pieces of cloth aside, she charged straight at the smirking girl.

"Go ahead, Edelfelt," Rin taunted as she got into her martial arts form, taking care to use Reinforcement, "You will be put down like the dog you are." She thought Luvia wouldn't be in the right mind for the same. She was wrong.

Stepping forward to punch, she was taken by surprise when Luvia grabbed her arm and pulled her in, wedging it and her head between her body and arm. Then, she got kneed in the gut before having her face introduced to the ground.

"You were saying, Rin?" Luvia taunted in return as she held her down while keeping her body away from Rin. Although, she didn't count on Tohsaka sending a palm strike to her side, the jolt of pain causing her to loosen her hold and for her prisoner to escape.

"You'll pay for that Edelfelt!" declared the angry Tohsaka as she got to her feet, her face now brushed with dust and dirt.

"I didn't know you were that eager to meet the ground again, Rin Tohsaka!" yelled the now smirking Luvia. Her uniform was also dusty, and except for the torn sleeves, she was none worse for wear.

A burst of laughter brought them out of their angry haze. Puzzled, the both of them looked at Rider, the culprit.

"Oh, don't mind me," said the laughing Servant, "Keep on at it. Seems to me you don't need us to fight your own battles."

"It sees my Master is quite capable," the stoic Servant in red commented as well, though if one could look closely, there was a very slight twitch on the side of his mouth.

"You..." grounded out the blond, already feeling beyond embarrassed, "Fine! Attack and defeat them, Rider!"

Rin just sighed as the two Master's separated and put themselves behind their respective Servants. "Archer, I leave this to you. Show me what you are capable off," she ordered calmly, also feeling quite embarrassed to have behaved like that in front of their Servants.

"Oh well, fun while it lasted," said Rider as he shrugged his shoulders. He held his hand out and into it fell a long black pole. He twirled it around a bit before settling it on his shoulder.

Archer said nothing, but materialized a pair of swords. One black, one white, with the symbol of Yin-Yang decorating the guard.

"Oh? This is rare," commented Rider with one brow raised, "You know how to use those?"

"Hmm? This is coming from someone who fights with that?" asked Archer in return, pointing at the pole with one sword, "That can hardly be called a weapon."

"Really? Well, what about this?" the Servant replied mysteriously as he held the black pole in his hands. Strands of frost slowly crept out from his gloved hands and soon the whole thing was covered in ice. "Changed your mind yet?" he asked as he got ready to fight.

"Why not change it for me then," the Servant in red stated as he rushed forward on the offensive.

* * *

Bazett had retreated back downstairs and was now seated at a table, nursing a glass while feeling quite morose. Being called a monkey by your own Servant can put you that way, as well as being tossed around like some plaything by said Servant. If only she got Cú Chulainn... darn it, she didn't even know who her Servant was.

"_Now that I think of it_," she mused to herself, "_I should be able to dream of Lancer's past now that it is a few days after the summoning. But I have yet to receive any. Why_?"

She put down the glass and got up, making her way to the nearest window. "_Kirei told me it would certainly happen, yet... nothing_," she continued her thought train as she looked out, "_It can't be possible, can it_? _Could Lancer be actually stopping it from happening_? _Is it even possible_?"

Suddenly, Bazett could sense Lancer on the move, the Servant's presence suddenly leaving the abandoned manor. Taken aback for a moment, she quickly recovered. "_What made her suddenly leave the manor_? _Did it have something to do with this 'divination' of hers_?" she wondered as she quickly retrieved her jacket and her metal cylinder, racing out of the manor after her Servant.

* * *

Shirou huffed and puffed, adrenalin pushing his body into overdrive. Today started like any other; Sakura and Taiga having breakfast at his house, helping the student council with repairs around the school... leaving a few exceptions like having Edelfelt talk to him that morning and helping Shinji clear up the archery dojo. It was what he found after cleaning the dojo that caused him so much distress. Chancing on two people fighting with weapons was not a normal thing. Worse, it was real weapons, weapons that were made to kill. One side was clad in red, both hands in a blur, yet he could hear the sound of metal clashing against another surface. The other was dressed in black; he seemed just as fast, casually swinging something long in his hands. It looked like... a bar of ice?

"How stupid of me," he muttered as he finally took in his surroundings. He had run into the school, of all places. He should have run into town to somewhere more populated. Feeling it was too late to regret anything now, he tiredly turned around. Nobody was chasing him. Odd. Surely they would have come after him already. He gulped in air to fill his tired lungs and murmured, "What was that?" And then a thought struck him. Thinking back to what he saw, he didn't notice it then, but now that he had a second...

"Wasn't there someone else there too?" he whispered to himself. True, it was a moonless night, but he was sure there were others there too. Watching the fight. Though, he couldn't make out who it was.

"Well, anyways..."

That was all he could say when pain suddenly filled his chest.

* * *

The moment Rider suddenly exclaimed someone was watching, Archer knew who it was. Making a hasty excuse to chase after the unknown, he took off. He knew who was watching. He knew who had stumbled upon their fight.

"_At least some things didn't change_," the Servant of the Bow thought as he raced up the building. This particular building was facing the opposite one that he knew the witness had run into. All he had to do was find the boy and kill him. True to his memory, he spotted the boy tiredly leaning against the wall on the second floor. An easy shot for him to make. He materializes a bow, a matte black Western-style straight, as well as a simple black arrow. Stance ready. Arrow notched. Bow raised. String drawn. Aim. Fire.

To the heart.

Having done so, he had go to the boy. Not to check; the shot was fatal, so death was certain. No, he had to make sure he stayed dead. This time.

Before he made his way down, he noticed a figure on the opposite roof. An odd figure in black and white, it looks like. He looked at it intently when it suddenly melted away from sight. He narrowed his eyes; that was sure to be another Servant. Which one, he did not know. He stared at the empty roof a moment more before going to make sure the boy stayed dead.

* * *

Rin, Luvia and Rider ran after the supposed witness the Servant spotted. They chased after him into the school and after a flight or two, found him. Someone familiar to two of them.

"Oh no... Shirou..." the blond Edelfelt exclaimed in a hushed tone. She stood there frozen in place while Rider and the other girl got closer for a better look.

"What..." sounded the Tohsaka heir in shock, which then became a glare that was directed to the black shaft sticking out of his chest. "Archer... you had better have a good explanation for this," she growled out. This was certainly not what she had planned. Hypnosis was a better alternative after all. Plus, she was also forced into a position to break the news to Sakura. Something she rather not do.

"I don't know how you people do things," said Rider, rather subdued, "But this is overkill. Why did he do this?"

"I do not have to explain myself to you," Archer replied, suddenly appearing, walking from the opposite end of the hall. Turning to his Master, he said, "Rin, I..."

"I can still save him," the black haired girl suddenly said, calmly digging into her pocket as she knelt at the boy's head, "He is still breathing, but barely. If I could just..."

"Rin."

She looked up to her Servant.

"The War is kept secret for a reason," the tanned Servant said, "It is better that..."

"You will save the boy now or she dies."

Rin got up and spun around. The Servants tensed up and faced the owner of the voice. There stood Luvia but it wasn't her that spoke. It was the owner of the blade that was pressed to her neck. The person who had his other arm draped in front of her shoulders was dressed in odd clothes, reminiscent of a naval officer of old. What stood out was what he had as his head. A black skull.

**Commentary:-**

**Sorry! Sorry! I must say sorry! For two reasons. One, Saber not being in this chapter. I know, I know, I said she would be here but I packed in way too much for this one day that I have to split it into two parts. For sure, chapter 4 will have Saber. Really! Second, I misspelled a name. It is Xer Blade, not Zer Blade. Bad typo.  
**

**Alright, that out of the way. MadFrog! Thine second guess was spot on. That is who Lancer is.  
**

**Back to the chapter. I left more clues to the Servant's identities. Caster's and Rider's identity may or may not be clear. Lancer's identity, maybe less clear to some readers. Assassin... well, it's hit or miss. If any of you played his game before, you will most likely know him instantly. Though, I can also say the same for Caster and Rider.**

**Also, what do you think of that little cat fight I put in? My friendly neighbourhood beta, Mincemaker had a nice laugh about it and suggested an omake with them fighting in a pro wrestling setting with Rider selling tickets. Maybe.**

**As usual, please read and review... would you kindly?**


	4. The Final Spirit

**I do not own Fate/Stay Night nor any other Servants depicted here.**

The Final Spirit

Rin and Rider stared at the person tensely, careful not to make any sudden moves. Archer, however...

"Why should we save the boy?" he asked calmly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, "You know that the War must be kept in secret, don't you? Assassin..."

"You are quite astute," the skull-faced Servant all but confirmed his class, not denying Archer's opinion, "Indeed, the War is to be kept secret. But my Master has some interest in the boy, so I would appreciate it that you save him immediately."

"Then why the..."

"It is to persuade you to stop Archer from interfering," the Servant Assassin interrupted Rider, "You would do anything to protect your Master, would you not?"

Rider clenched his fists tightly as he glared at the hostage taker, then he turned to face Archer and got into a boxing stance. "Looks like I'll be fighting seriously right now," he said, sounding a little more serious, "Sorry Archer, but I gotta protect my Master, so you better let yours take care of the boy. Now."

"Tch, it seems luck is not in my favor today," the red-clad Servant grumbled as a worried Rin turned her attention back on the boy. The black arrow seemed to have mysteriously disappeared while they were taking.

"I hope this works," she was heard muttering as she worked on him, "...reforge the damaged... substitute... restore the heart... If I succeed..." She raised her one hand, dangling a ruby amulet over the boy's chest while having her other hand on it. The ruby began glowing, the light slowly intensifying until a bright flash was issued before it went dark completely.

She took a deep breath and sighed, her arms falling loosely to her side, "I'm tired..." The amulet clattered to the ground. She stared at it for a moment and sighed, "...Forgive me, Father. Your daughter is terribly heartless."

Luvia, annoyed that she was made a hostage, lit up with joy when she realized Shirou was going to survive this ordeal. Nevertheless, she made no untoward moves as not to startle the Servant holding her hostage as to preserve her life.

"My thanks for your sacrifice, Master of Archer," Assassin announced, "Now, the three of you will go to the roof of this building."

"What? Hey! We saved the kid already, so let her go," Rider shouted as he spun around to face him.

"That may be, but I rather have all of you be as far away from him as possible when he reawakens," the skull-faced Servant reasoned, "I also do not want to risk another attack."

"Tch, fine. We will wait on the roof," Archer said resentfully as he went with Rin. Rider looked back at his Master for a moment before following suit.

A few seconds passed by. At most, the boy's faint breathing could be heard, calm and relaxed. Assassin relaxed his hold and drew away his blade from her neck, only keeping a firm hand on her shoulder. He pushed her forward; she complied and the both of them hurried around the corner wordlessly. He pulled and pushed her against the wall, his hand now resting against her throat. With that, he peered around the corner and observed.

The boy awoke.

* * *

Rider paced. He was nervous and uneasy. To think he let his guard down and now his Master was being held hostage by Assassin. Rin herself was worried but did not show it; instead, she leaned against the chain-link fence that bordered the roof. Archer though was feeling rather irritated; he had come so close and if not for Assassin, he would have succeeded.

The roof door was pushed open, the metal door slamming against the concrete wall. Luvia half walked, half stumbled out, as if pushed. She quickly gathered herself together and walked calmly to her Servant. A moment later, Assassin stepped out.

"The deed is done," the Servant stated, "The boy survived. He is quite hardy. He even had time to clean up his blood before leaving." Staring at the Tohsaka heir, he continued, "My Master thanks you, Master of Archer."

"I don't suppose your Master would surrender his or her Command Seals as a token of appreciation?" the girl asked disapprovingly, "Are we allowed to leave now or do you wish to get a hold on more hostages and threaten us further?"

"You really shouldn't give him ideas, Little Miss Prim and Proper," Luvia said snidely, "Or do you like being in those positions. Although... it wouldn't really surprise me if you do."

"Luvia..." Rin muttered angrily, her brow twitching a bit, "Let's go Archer."

With a huff, she headed towards the exit, Assassin politely stepping aside. The Servant eyed the remaining two. "I suppose I shall be leaving as well," he said as he disappeared in a burst of darkness.

Luvia frowned and said, "I suppose it is enough for one night. We didn't learn that much, but... it'll do."

* * *

She watched as the final Master and Servant pair left the rooftop. With that happening, she finally dismissed the rune, her invisibility flowing off like water. Lancer then leaped off the roof, gracefully landing on ground level. She then made haste to the nearest wall, temporarily changing to spirit form the phase through it, halting on the other side. She then turned to look at her Master, who had finally caught up to her.

"It is futile to chase after me, Mon-keigh," she stated to her tired Master, looking a bit winded but still able to move, "If you wish this so called War to expedite itself, it would be wise to let me guide the events into our favor."

"Lancer, we are supposed to be working together to win this War," Bazett tried to reason with her after settling her breathing, "Not each doing their own thing. Please, come back to the manor and we can discuss this, now that you're..."

"Enough! There is no time," the Servant interrupted, "Today is the day and the destiny is upon us. Death must have its second meeting or nothing shall come to pass." With that, a rune flashed above her in a white flash as she leaped to the air, moving from roof to roof with a purpose.

The enforcer groaned as she reluctantly readied herself for 'catch up' round two.

* * *

"_Thank you, Assassin._"

The Servant in question silently trailed after Archer and his Master. He had seen what the red Servant had done. The shot was made without hesitation and he fully intended to have the boy killed. The question was why...

"_You do not need to thank me, Master_," he thought back, "_When the boy was shot and you screamed his name, I knew I had to do something. I was merely lucky that they arrived when they did_."

"_Well... just... I really shouldn't have acted like that_," his Master replied rather demurely, "_Something unexpected like that... I could only just react. I was... taught better... I... I_..."

"_You feared losing him_," the Servant stated. He could sense... imagine her nodding. "_I know what it's like to feel loss. Not only that, I have also seen people experience it. I understand. At least, now you know he is safe. So, do not worry,_" he assured her.

"_I... thank you, Assassin_."

"_My pleasure_," he told her as he continued to shadow the pair. "Now let's find out why you shot to kill, Archer," he muttered to himself.

* * *

Rin leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes, the tiredness from the night's activities slowly catching up to her. Accompanying that was that nagging sense of guilt that she got from using that pendant. That much power stored in the gem, meant for her emergency use during the War, was all used up in bringing back Emiya Shirou from near death. Oh yes, that nagging feeling, berating her for her misuse. And yet, she felt it was the right thing to do. If he had died, it would have been too much for Sakura and it would be detrimental for the both of them should it happen. The secret partnership they had in place would fail and more than likely, neither of them will get what they want.

When she opened her eyes again, she used them to glare at her unapologetic looking Servant. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Archer?" she asked of him.

The Servant, who had his eyes closed and head down in contemplation, responded with, "There was another Servant present."

"...?"

She stared at him for a moment, and then, "It was not Assassin? Where was the other Servant?"

"After shooting the boy, I saw the Servant on the roof of the building," he explained, "It looked nothing like Assassin. If anything, I believe it to be Caster, after having the Servant disappear before my eyes."

"... a possible invisibility spell... that may be so," she mused over this new piece of information. And then, she looked startled, her eyes widening in realization, "What if... no, that Servant must have seen us revive him."

Archer nodded and said, "Yes. And, I am sure that the Servant will most certainly go after him, since the secrecy of this War is in danger."

* * *

"And here we are," said Rider as he threw open the doors, feeling relieved, "I suppose you're gonna turn in now?"

Luvia let of a sigh as she closed the door and said, "Well, I guess it would be good to go to sleep. I'm just glad Shirou is alright, though I wish I was the one to save him instead of that Tohsaka."

He suddenly halted, as if remembering something. "Hey Luvia... you know... nobody actually hypnotized the kid..." he said as he creased his brow.

She blinked and stared at him for a moment, trying to come to terms with what he said. And slowly... a smile became etched on her face.

"O ho ho ho, my dear Rin, how forgetful of you," she said rather happily as she began reaching for the door, "I think I shall go and remedy this situation. Let's go Rider. And tomorrow, I shall see the look of defeat on her face. It will be fabulous."

* * *

Emerald eyes peered through the darkness... watching. Noel stood atop the lamp post, fully alert and waiting patiently. It had been a long day and rather than sit back and relax at her house, she chose to venture out into the night to try and find a murderous Servant. Hence, there she was, dressed in more normal clothes; that being a plain, dark blue T-shirt, faded dark jeans and a pair of sports shoes.

"_Tonight is rather dark_," she mused as she leaped to another post, "_Thankfully my eyesight is better than most._" Pausing to wait and look around, she continued, "_I do hope I run into that Servant. Thankfully, I have all week to do this_." She was still quite surprised when her superior actually allowed her a week's leave. Then again, she had a lot of sick days stored up since she had a perfect attendance record.

Jumping off the post and onto a roof, her thoughts drifted over to Rin.

"_I wonder... how is she doing_..." she mulled, pausing her vigilance for a moment of contemplation, "_It... it's been a long time since I... no... I can't go and see her. Not after I broke my promise... I wonder if she still remembers me... I wonder if... she kept Mister Panda_..."

She shook her head and got her mind in order once more. "_No, stop... I have to focus. There is a reason I have to go around at night_," she reminded herself, "_I have to prevent more needless deaths... even if they are supposed to be criminals... they are criminals with families to return to. I cannot be lax. If I... if I should meet Rin, then so be it. I'll just... think of something when the time comes_." It was too early for it though... and she had not forgiven herself yet. She needed more time for that to happen. So... not yet...

And then it came. A flare of power caught her attention, in an area she knew well enough.

"_Emiya's house_?" the startled former Servant thought, "_But... there is no way that he would be getting involved. Unless... that Servant strikes there_?" Disbelief remained on her senses, her body hesitating to react, until two more wellsprings of power came forth. "_What!? More!? But that would mean... no_..." she shuddered at the thought. Somehow, the young man caught the attention of one, and then the spike in power alerted two more. She had to get there immediately! To save him and stop a potentially major battle from happening.

With that, she leaped from roof to roof, hoping for two things; to reach there on time... and to not meet Rin that night.

* * *

Shirou collapsed to the floor in the main room. He lay there facing the ceiling, his breathing heavy but his nerves finally calming down. Yet his chest still hurt.

"... So it was true that I was almost killed..." he was able to hash out, but inwardly he knew otherwise. He did die there and then, and yet thanks to some unknown stranger, he was still alive.

"... I wonder who it was. I should at least thank them," he muttered, only to gasp out in pain when a spike of pain went through his recovering heart. Accompanying the moans and groans, a wave of nausea washed over him as he tried to get up to a sitting position.

"... Damn, I'll be having nightmares about this for a while," he grunted as the wave of pain finally settled down to a dull throbbing. Having an arrow to the chest was certainly not very pleasant.

"... All right, I'm starting to calm down," he said to himself after taking a few breaths, thankful for his nightly training, "So, about those guys..." Trying to figure out who those strangers at the school were... it was mind boggling... then again... "... No, that's not the problem..." His brow furrowed in thought. It did seem that he stumbled into something that was out of his league. The two men that were fighting and the mysterious deaths that had been happening recently...

"If Father was still alive..." he began but then he shook his head as he berated himself, "... Idiot. I've already decided that I would do what I can, even when I don't understand."

Suddenly, he was jarred out of his thoughts when the bell that hung from the ceiling rang. And then the lights suddenly went out.

"A burglar... at a time like this?" he asked aloud, but a few seconds later he inwardly corrected himself. Someone else was here... possibly connected to what he saw earlier. The timing was too close for it to be a simple burglar. Whatever it was, he didn't want this encounter to end like it did earlier. No. He had better prepare himself. Now... what could he use...

* * *

Lancer was a picture of calm when she watched the human feel around for something. Then, she felt a twinge of amusement when he picked up what seemed to be a rolled up piece of metal.

"_Does the Mon-keigh honestly wish to fight me off with that_?" the Servant asked herself when she watched him do something to it. It looked like he was imbuing it with something, as it gave off a peculiar sheen for a moment or so when he was done with it.

"_I suppose now is the time to play my part_," she mused as she came out of concealment, "_Even if I wonder why this one had been chosen_..."

"I truly cannot understand as to why they brought you back," she said, her echoing voice announcing her presence to the young Mon-keigh. The one in question seemed to be startled, and upon the sight of her spear, scrambling away from her before getting to his feet and into a defensive stance. "You have have the potential to be great," she continued, noting his confusion and tenseness, "Thus it is more beneficial for me to cast you from the pool of Masters in the War, as to guarantee my victory." This spawned even more confusion and yet she could see him slowly inching away from her, in the direction of the room's exit. "_Up close, he seems insignificant. Yet, t__o be the one that has to come close to death twice and live, for better or for worse, he will change the course of this War_," she thought as she made her observations, "_How,__ I cannot tell, since it has yet to be seen the type of decisions he must make... And now the time for action has come_."

In one smooth motion, Lancer suddenly swiped her spear horizontally, keeping the spear dangerously close to the young human male. He didn't dodge, but was able to swing his metal tube up and deflect the spear point off course. She tilted her head to the side almost slightly; the attack wasn't too lethal and yet still fast enough to be a blur to his eyes, and still he was able to deflect it, even just a bit. Perhaps the tip of the iceberg of this one's potential for power.

He suddenly made a dash for the door. She quickly spun and brought the spear down in his path, making him stop abruptly. It was swung forward, striking him in the gut and pushing him back. Deftly bringing it back, she stepped forward for a stab. He was able to deflect it again, only this time it wasn't enough; the point was able to graze his shoulder, drawing blood. She swung twice more, each time she had it barely touching him, but he would be able to parry each one as if on instinct. He then suddenly charged at her and hit her with the metal tube. She allowed it, seeing that such a feeble construct would barely do anything to her wraithbone armor. She could sense his disbelief as he started at the bent rod in his hands.

"Your kind always seem to go against fate, Mon-keigh," she stated as she pulled out a bit of her power, a mere drop in the sea, and used it to fling him outside. He smashed through the paper thin walls of the door and landed beyond that in a heap, crashing through the large glass sliding doors that separated the hallway and the garden. She calmly went after him, only pausing to phase through the undamaged walls via spirit form. The young human got up and hastily swung out behind him; a good precaution, but such a thing done blindly would not even touch her unless she lets it. With a simple gesture, another drop was used, this time causing an explosion of power right in front of the young one's body. He flew through the air, his body traveling long and far before striking a secondary building off the side of the clearing. He crashed into the wall, bouncing off the canopy that was over the entrance before dropping to the cold, hard earth.

She calmly walked towards him as he struggled to overcome the pain he was put through. In a rare display of tenacity not always seen amongst his kind, he was able to drag himself over to the door and slide it open, hobbling inside the building. Lancer was in no hurry; in this instance, one could equate her to a patient hunter, one who had already cornered her prey and had shut off all avenue of escape. There was no need to hurry, of that she was sure. As if having completed a leisurely stroll through the gardens, she calmly walked through the open doorway. He stood there shakily in a messy state, holding a metal bar in front of him. She took a step forward. He lunged in a feeble attempt to stab her. She dismissed his bravado, turning aside to let the improvised weapon pass her while slamming the shaft of the spear into his gut. She then sent the flat of spear point slamming into his head, knocking him down. She did not need to use much force, for it was only a simple tap. It was enough, though, to have made a small cut that let blood trickle down the side of his face. His breathing was heavy yet his eyes, having stayed locked on her the moment she stepped inside, remained so defiantly stubborn. There was fire in this one.

"There is much you have yet to learn, Mon-keigh," she admonished him, like talking to a child, "Yet, by your actions, you will never have the time to do so." She raised her weapon, having the point barely brushing on the skin of his forehead, "Because of your actions, your life is forfeit. Perhaps if you had been more careful and aware, it may not have come to this." She raised her weapon high, her intent was clear as she aimed for his head, "Farewell." The point fell, just as she felt a surge of power coming from somewhere inside the building. Still, the point sped to its destination...

...only for it to clash against another weapon. With that, Lancer leaped backwards, landing outside the building. Her vision went back inside, noting the newly summoned Servant, especially her hidden weapon. She could sense great power coming from it and felt that she would be the most difficult of opponents in the coming future. Still, what she came to do here is done.

"_And so it has come to pass. My work here is complete... for now_," she whispered in her mind before she disappeared, not only shifting to spirit form but also concealing herself from the senses of others meant to be like her. It was time to retrieve her so-called Master and retreat.

* * *

The pale moonlight shone upon her form, the clouds suddenly being pulled away. It gave her an ethereal presence which can only be described in one word. Beautiful. Shirou didn't know what to think. One minute, he was facing death for the second time of the day, something that riled him up so, something that made him angrily and defiantly wish to live. And in the next minute, she appeared in knightly glory, driving back that spear user. With that done, the girl turned to him and asked, her voice filled with determination, "I, Servant Saber, have come forth in response to your summons. I ask of you. are you my Master?"

**Commentary:-**

**Summoning is complete. All the Servants have been summoned and the War can begin in earnest. With the fiasco of the school over, everyone goes home and expects a quiet night... Nope. And now, Saber has to contend with more than one Servant, right after Lancer makes her exit. Plus! ****Whether she wants to or not, Noel has to meet Rin. Not exactly the best of circumstances to meet, but then again, when has life ever been fair? Everyone else blames the Root, or blames Zelretch. Here, we can all blame Tzeentch, since everything goes according to his plans.  
**

**Ladon's Avatar succeeded in guessing Assassin's identity. Well done sir! All that's left is Caster and Rider. It's a shame nobody could guess who they are... I guess they'll have to wait until the stat sheets are out. And... I'm guessing it will be quite soon. Please be patient?  
**

**So, until then, please read and review, would you kindly?  
**


	5. The Long Night

**I do not own Fate/Stay Night nor any other Servants depicted here.**

The Long Night

"Huh... Mas... ter...?"

Saber stared at him for that moment. At that moment she wondered why this young magus would want to take part in this War. Perhaps to prove himself? Yet, as she continued looking over him, she could clearly see the confusion marked on his face. Did he not know what he was getting into?

"I, Servant Saber... have come forth in response to your summons," she told him, hoping maybe that he was shocked at the prospect of having an unexpectedly strong Servant, and yet she could see that his confusion was true. "Please give me an order, Master," she requested from him. There was still confusion, but that was marred by pain when the boy suddenly winced, bringing up his left hand by reflex. There on his hand, clear as day, were the Command Seals.

"From this time forth, my sword shall be with you and your fate shall be with me," she announced at the confirmation of the contract between them, "Now, our contract is complete." She could feel the bond between them; it was faint but it was there. She held back a frown, assuming that this young magus probably made a mistake in the summoning, causing this weak bond. Then again, she couldn't blame him; clearly he was being attacked when he performed the summoning, otherwise the connection would be sound.

"Contract? What are you talking about...?!" sputtered her Master, his eyes going wide in surprise.

Her own feelings were almost displayed on her face. "_Doesn't he know_?" she wondered as she turned around to look at the doorway. It seems the enemy Servant had left. She remained calm but was on full alert now. The other Servant had some sort of lance or spear, so it was probably from the Lancer class. Taking a careful step outside the building, she paused to scan the skies. Nothing. Good. All she had to worry now was for ground-based ambushes. The area itself felt familiar to her. An old, Japanese-style housing area. Plus, the minor building... it reminded her of her time with Irisviel.

"_I wonder what happened to Illyasviel_," she thought, wondering how the little girl would be coping with the death of her mother. Her father... no... it was best not to think about him. That man...

"Who... are you?"

"...? What do you mean? I am the Servant Saber," she replied, turning to face her Master, who had followed after her, "You summoned me, so I do not think you should need to confirm it."

"The Servant Saber?"

"Yes, so please call me Saber," she requested. Yet she could still see confusion and uncertainty.

"I-I see. That's a strange name."

Now he looked as if he was embarrassed. "_Truly odd. Why is he behaving like so_?" she asked herself as another thought came to mind, "_And what of his family_? _Surely his elder would have educated him when he had been selected for the War_. _Or perhaps... he was someone recently chosen_? _This might explain his confusion. This also means my summoning was not at all planned_... _or perhaps not according to plan_..."

"... I'm Shirou. My name is Emiya Shirou... and I live in this house."

What!?

She stared at him calmly, while inwardly feeling quite shocked... and somewhat outraged at the name. "_But... my Master looks nothing like him... perhaps he just happens to share the same name as his..._" she reasoned.

"No, wait. I take that back. That's not what I meant to ask you. Actually..."

"I understand," she interrupted, "You are not a formal Master, correct?"

"_Yes... perhaps it is purely coincidence_."

"Huh?"

"But you are still my Master. As long as we have made the contract, I will not betray you," she assured him, "There is no need for you to be so cautious."

"That's wrong. My name isn't Master."

Quite upfront and too the point, it seems. It seems she might be able to get along with him. "Then I shall call you Shirou. Yes, I like the sound of that," she then told him, wondering why he started blushing when she said that.

"Wait a minute. Why are you calling me..."

And then he started wincing in pain again. Lifting up his left hand, he displayed the Seals, throbbing and glowing ever so slightly.

"Those are your Command Seals, Shirou," she began to explain, thinking she had better get him up to speed, seeing that he was new to this, "The three claims on a Servant's obedience and life of a Master. Please do not use them thoughtlessly."

It seemed that he had further questions, but it was then she sensed something... no... four presences outside. And two of them, who she suspected were Servants, were getting ready to attack. It seems she would be defending her new Master once more. She did wonder though, how did they know so fast? No matter. It is time to defend her Master's dwelling.

"Excuse me, Shirou, but there are enemies outside," she told him as she faced the wall, ready to go over it, "I shall repel them and we will talk shortly."

* * *

Noel was quite stunned by the turn of events. First having assumed a large scale battle was going to happen at the Emiya household, she was at first taken aback by the appearance of yet another Servant's presence, right inside the house itself. Then, the first Servant's presence suddenly disappeared.

"_Did... did that boy somehow summon a Servant_?" she remembered wondering as she continued speeding there, still worried that a fight might take place. Surely this new Servant will react to the other two presences and will definitely try and fight them.

Then, she got there, when the two others unexpectedly stopped right outside the boundary of the house. She could clearly see two Servant's there. One in red and another in black. The strange thing was that it was the Masters that were verbally fighting each other. That was not the most shocking part. What stunned her the most was that one of the Masters was Rin herself.

"_Why... after all this time... I had to run into her... of all people_..." she asked herself despairingly. She was not ready. And yet, there she was. And whether she liked it or not, Noel had to make herself known just to stop a potential fight in front of her.

It was then, matters somehow became worse. Or maybe not. Because the new Servant decided to show up and confront all of them. And it was someone she recognized all too well.

* * *

They were not expecting each other. One was making an attempt to save a boy her former sister knew. Another was on the way of doing what the Second Owner should have done, hide the existence of magecraft via hypnosis. And by mere chance, the situation started to become quite volatile.

"... Just what are you doing here, Edelfelt," asked Rin after getting over her surprise. If only her glares could kill.

"Oh, I don't know, doing what you were supposed to be doing?" Luvia replied nonchalantly with a smirk, "Although, since you're here as well, I suppose you are here to remedy your slip up?"

"... What are you rambling about?" the former asked, looking rather confused by what she said.

"Hmm?" the latter sounded, the smirk going away, "Wait, if you're not here to hypnotize Shirou, then what are you here for?"

"I have no time for this," the Tohsaka heir growled out before trying to get around the blonde.

"Oh no, you will answer me, Tohsaka girl," a frowning Luvia said harshly, getting in the way once more and pushing her rival back, "Let me guess, being the barbarian you are, you are going to silence him permanently then?"

"What?! Are you stupid?" Rin retorted, her voice going up a notch, "What in the world made you think I am coming all the way here, in the middle of the night no less, to kill him? After using most of my power to heal him, no less? Get out of my way Edelfelt, I have to get there before it's too late."

"Oh no, you are too suspicious... Rider, please take care of her," the blonde simply stated calmly, her mind seemingly already set on her course of action.

"Geez, we really should stop meeting like this," sighed Rider, his weapon of choice ready on his shoulder.

"Tch, Archer, please make this quick," the Tohsaka ordered reluctantly as she leaped back.

"It is useless to complain, Rider," Archer said as he materialized as well, both his blades ready as well, "This is what we are supposed to do, after all."

"Right... let's get this over with then," the Servant dragged out before readying himself, the frost already covering the black pole.

Yet, before they could begin their fight, a familiar sensation pulsed through the area. It came from the house that the both of them were heading to.

"You know..." started Rider, the first to break the silence, "Maybe we shouldn't start fighting? I'm sure you all felt that, right?"

"What aren't you telling us, Rin," Luvia frowned, making it sound more like a demand than a question.

"There is no time, you dumb blonde!" the Tohsaka shouted at her. Turning to her Servant, she ordered, "Let's go, Archer. For all we know, we may be too late and he is already dead."

"Damn it, you stupid girl," growled out the Edelfelt, "After them, Rider!"

The two pairs raced down the lane, but only for a short while. Something came over the wall and landed in front of them. A young woman in shining armor with an old styled dress colored in blue. She stood in front of them holding something. They did not know what sort of weapon she was holding; this put them on guard, ready to react to whatever happened.

"You shall not pass," she announced with a stern look in her eyes. She was on guard as well, her eyes slowly going between all four persons.

While the two Masters felt a little perplexed as to her class, Archer felt things get all the more difficult. On one hand, the boy summoned Saber, as expected. On the other, her presence made his goal in eliminating his former self a whole lot more complicated. Rider, however...

"What do you think, Luvia?" the Servant asked discreetly, "Should we do our best to take her out, or delay her while you girls run ahead?"

"Delay her," Rin interrupted, a plan already developing behind her brow, "We have to get to Emiya. For certain, her Master is nearby and is most likely with him as we speak. Archer, work with him." A subtle nod was the response.

"Do it," affirmed Luvia with a nod of her own.

"Right," he acknowledged. Glancing at the other Servant's choice of weapon, he asked, "You gonna switch to ranged or all in with me?" There was no response, for he had already taken off.

"All in it is then," the Servant of the Mount muttered, raising a brow for a moment before going after him, easily keeping pace.

Saber, seeing that the two other Servants were charging her down, tightened her grip and responded in kind. Both parties would have certainly clashed, if...

"Optic Barrel!"

A symbol appeared between them, two yellow revolvers forming an X, and exploded. Both sides ground to a halt, both searching for the owner of the voice, wary of any more sudden attacks. They didn't have long to wait.

"There will be no fighting tonight," said the owner of the voice as she landed a bit to the side of the road. She smiled a bit as she greeted a little hesitantly, "Hello. Nice to see you again Saber... and Rin." Despite the hesitancy, she still kept her guns trained on the Servants.

"Archer?!" said the two in surprise, the Tohsaka a little more subdued. The others were looking at her, and then at the other two, feeling quite confused.

"Saber! Where are you!?"

After that shout, a young man came running around the corner. He suddenly stopped, all movement halted in surprise the moment he laid eyes on the small gathering before him. And his words mirroring his surprise in minor labored breath, "Eh... Officer... Mackenzie?"

While the others looked at the supposed police officer in puzzlement, Rin's and Archer's was unreadable. Rin was a multitude of emotions behind that blank facade, but she was also intent in addressing them once everyone else was out of earshot. Archer, however, was quite concerned. In the beginning, he had fully expected having to come across Gilgamesh. That expectation slowly dwindled until it was eliminated completely when he met this young lady. The one who was supposed to be the previous War's Archer. Yet another unknown added to the mix and probably a ton more complications included.

"Well, it seems everything is coming out of the woodwork tonight," Rin stated clearly, breaking the tense silence that came upon them, although she sported a smile that unnerved the boy, "From unknown magi to forgotten Servants," making sure to look at those two newcomers specifically. "I should apologize though. Good evening, Emiya," she greeted, the smile suddenly becoming warm and welcoming.

"While that is all well and good Rin... Masters, if you would please ask your Servants to keep their weapons?" the former Archer asked nicely. Archer and Rider got nods from their Masters, and so they did, though the red clad Servant was a little more reluctant to do so. Saber went to a relaxed stance, as if she had already done so. The officer let out a sigh of relief. "Crisis averted... for now," she muttered aloud as she lowered her own weapons. Then, noticing the present confusion on Shirou's face, she said, "You don't seem to be aware of what you got yourself into, Emiya."

"Ah... yeah... I was going to ask Saber about this when she suddenly jumped over the wall," he replied, rather subdued, "I still have so many questions..."

"Not to worry, Shirou," Luvia suddenly said with a smile of her own, "Please, allow me to explain everything." With that, she suddenly took hold of him by the arm and pulled him towards his house. Rider and Saber stared at each other, the former shrugging before the both of them followed after.

"Follow them, Archer," Rin ordered with an annoyed sigh, "Make sure she doesn't make any stupid moves."

As the red dressed Servant nodded and went after them, she turned to face the former Archer. They both stared for a moment before she asked, "Why didn't you come and see me, Archer?"

"Ah... I..." she stuttered a moment before her shoulders sagged, "I go by Noel now... I used my real name. The Mackenzie's took me in at the request of Rider's Master... well, the Rider of that War..."

"Archer... Noel... please answer the question," the Tohsaka asked patiently.

"... I was ashamed... I still am... my promise..."

"What? You thought... ugh..." she trailed off in disbelief. Keeping it together, she continued, "All that time, you really thought I wouldn't forgive you... Noel, you idiot."

"Eh?" she sounded in surprise.

"A magus walks with death," Rin stated, "The things we practice can potentially kill us in every way possible. My father knew that as well. Despite every precaution, skills, and power my father put into his plans, he already knew that there was always a slim chance that it may turn on him. He knew that and he proceeded nonetheless, and in a way, taking responsibility for his actions. My father's death is on no one's head but his own. You are not to blame. Not fully anyway." She smirked, looking at her astonished looks, "If it makes you any better... I, Tohsaka Rin, hereby absolve you of your promise."

The girl was quite surprised of the hug that came next. "Huh, well... now I'm really glad nobody can see this," she muttered, though with a real smile on her face.

"I... I have something to do now," Noel told her as she released the hug, "But, if you can, I need to meet as many, if not all, of the Masters of the War. If you know them, even better. There are things that happened in the past War that may happen again in this War if we don't stop it."

Stunned, the black haired magus said, "Well, I don't know about all the Masters but..."

"Please... I know you don't like the Edelfelt but you have to get her too," Noel stressed, "This goes well beyond everything you know of the War. And... no matter what, don't let anyone else know, not even the mediator. Not that I don't trust him, but if he is the one who I suspect he is, he may try to interfere."

"... Alright... I will try my best," she acceded.

"Thank you," Noel thanked with a grateful smile. Giving a wave with one of her guns, she quickly took to the roofs.

The smile was returned, and it stayed there for a while before it faded. She turned around and went into the house, hopefully to stop Luvia from being an idiot. What she found was strange. When she walked into what she assumed was the living room, she found the girl in question stock still and frozen, staring at Shirou like he was a stranger. She could hear her muttering something about Reinforcement. Saber was just standing there, seemingly calm about whatever had transpired. The other two Servants were not present there physically, more likely in spirit form. Shirou himself looked a little sheepish.

"Just what in the world happened to the ditz?" she asked the boy.

"Well... I just told her that..."

* * *

She crossed the rooftops with relative ease. It wasn't long after she had left Rin that she had felt another spike in power. It wasn't as clear as the other Servants but it was there, just a little out of reach from her senses. But it was close enough, and so Noel hurried there in hopes of catching the Servant red handed. Leaping off the next house, she deftly landed on her feet and continued her run. Around the next corner...

She skidded to a halt. It was a woman. She seemed to be wearing some sort of grey cloth robes with white trimmings and a rather large collar, as well as a darker grey cloth belt. She was standing over the body of a young man with a haircut that denounced him as a delinquent or a gangster. She was holding up some sort of dimly glowing green orb, which was dropped onto the body. The orb splashed onto the body and much to Noel's horror, melted it into a slurry which quickly evaporated. She also noticed several other wisps of pale smoke from two other places at the intersection. She then focused on the wayward Servant, glaring at her while readying Bolverk.

The woman finally noticed her. "Well, I certainly didn't expect anyone to catch me in the act," she said rather calmly, as if talking about the weather, "Though, I suppose it was inevitable. Be that as it may, I'm afraid that I have to remove you from the picture. I really dislike that rule about common folk, but I guess you can blame the ones that came up with this stupid secret war..." And yet, when she did notice the guns, her tone changed to be a lot more serious, "Then again, you don't seem to be one of the common folk, are you..."

Without taking her eyes away, the Servant held up her hands in front of her chest and began muttering in some unknown language. Noel tensed up, her hands gripping the guns a bit more tightly, her eyes not once leaving the Servant. Then, a ball of fire appeared, small at first but grew to be as large as the woman's head. The mutterings stopped and ball remained stationary in one hand.

"You seem to be clueless," the Servant stated, once again sounding calm, "If you don't know already, I'm Caster. You are welcome to try and attack me. Just so you know, if I lose control of this Fireball... well, you should know the results wont be very pretty. Although, fireworks would be nice to watch at this time of night..."

"... You wouldn't dare!" Noel shouted, shocked by the threat. She took careful aim at Caster, "The people here do not know of the War! Why would you drag them into it!?"

"You seem awfully concerned about their well being," the Servant said with a frown, "What an odd thing you are. Then again, perhaps you don't understand. If you attack me, people will die." And then she muttered, "Really, these are the kind of people the Knight-Commander had to face? Tiresome lot."

Noel had no reply. She had to stop her from threatening the ordinary people. She did not have any magic to call on nor did she have any special defenses that can negate it. But, she had something... a long shot... but it may work. And gamble she did...

"Optic Barrel!"

As she expected, Caster sent the fireball on reflex straight at her; the flaming projectile collided with her attack and engulfed the intersection in a bright explosion, sending her flying back. She was able to land on her feet and she instinctively shielded her eyes. When the brightness went down, she ran up to investigate. Nothing. Nothing except plenty of scorch marks everywhere. She did, however, hear something moving away from her. She gave chase, thinking that it was Caster. Down the road she ran and came to another intersection, a three way road, with a minor road leading to an alley.

"You are resilient enough."

Noel blinked. Was she seeing things or were there two Casters in front of her?

"By the way you handle those things, you must be Archer."

Two more voices behind her. She spun around and found two more Casters. What was going on?

"You know, if I was alive, I would have just Fireburst and be done with you."

And yet two more voices coming from the third road. Caster... and Caster...

"Oh well, a word of warning for the next time we meet."

Noel turned to the voice now coming from the alleyway. While the others looked as calm as the previous one, this Caster had quite a haughty look on her face.

"If you wish to play with fire, expect to get burned."

All of them suddenly vanished, leaving only faint wisps of smoke behind. Getting over the surprise, the former Servant let off a tired sigh. All that and she still wasn't able to stop her. Well, at least now she could put a face to the killer. But soon after, she groaned, her shoulders slumping in her depression. She had forgotten to tell Caster to ask her Master for a meeting.

* * *

Very little happened from the time at the Emiya house to the time when the group reached the church. Rider and Archer had gone into spirit form, leaving the other four to make the hour long trip on foot, though thanks to Shirou's short cut, it was made in less. Rin and Saber did get along well enough, though with Luvia alternating between snide remarks about the Tohsaka and keeping close with Shirou, it was still a little tense. With the journey over, the Servants remained outside while the Masters went in. Somehow, it still seemed well lit despite it being so late. And then the priest showed up. Kotomine Kirei. His explanation of the War was... informative. For both Shirou and for Luvia. Even more so for the Edelfelt, with all her assumptions about the War either being confirmed to be true or revealed to be just hearsay from the older members of her family.

Yet, Shirou seemed to be struggling with coming to terms with his involvement; it showed with the back and forth questions and answers between him and the priest. That was until the priest mentioned the previous War and the conflagration that occurred. The boy looked quite sick when he heard it.

"What? To think such a thing happened?" muttered Luvia, looking surprised.

Rin was not affected, having heard of it before, but...

"Emiya? What's wrong? You look quite pale... I know it's an uncomfortable story... but if you want, we can have a rest for a while," she offered, showing concern for the red-head's ill looks.

"Oh yes, you do look unwell, enough. Let me make it better," Luvia suddenly said as she moved into hug him.

"Can you really afford to act like this, you blonde ditz,"said the Tohsaka as she tugged the girl's dress, pulling her away from the boy.

"You stupid witch, let go! I am merely comforting him, something you are obviously unable to do," the Edelfelt retorted, rather angry with the interruption.

"Ah, please don't argue, I'm fine now. Really," spoke up Shirou, feeling rather glad for the concern, since it successfully brought him out of it.

And so the back and forth continued, until Kotomine asked him for his final decision.

"I will fight as a Master," he said, full of determination and conviction, "If the cause of the fire ten years ago was the Holy Grail War, then I can't let it happen again.

The priest smiled in satisfaction upon hearing those words. "Then I shall approve you as Saber's Master," he announced, "In this instant, the Holy Grail War can begin. I approve the battle in this town, from now until only one Master remains. Everyone shall follow their pride and compete fully against each other."

At that point, they turned to leave. Rin wanted to grill the priest for information, as this would be the last time she would be allowed to come here until after the War ends. It was only because of the presence of the Edelfelt that she held her tongue. The priest followed after them, only stopping at the end of the row of pews. Just as they opened the door...

"Rejoice young man, for your wish has been granted."

Shirou halted in his tracks and very slowly, turned to face him, "What do you..."

"Every hero needs a villain, do they not?"

A simple question. The boy tensed up at those words. Rin and Luvia turned to face him with puzzlement on their faces.

"Farewell, Emiya Shirou. This will be my last warning to you. Be careful on your way home. Things will not be the same ever again. From this point, it is kill or be killed. You are now a Master."

With that, he turned around and walked towards the altar. Shirou took a moment to look at the back of the priest before exiting, the two girls following after.

"I do hope you listened, Emiya Shirou," the priest muttered darkly as the door clicked shut, a smirk etching on his face, "You really should be careful on your way home."

* * *

"That so called senior apprentice of yours is rather odd," Luvia started offhandedly as the door closed.

"Oh shut up, Edelfelt," Rin retorted immediately, "I never wanted him as a senior. Don't talk as if I had any choice in the matter."

After having informed Saber of Shirou's decision, the entire group moved to journey back to the other side of the river. After walking down the hill in silence...

"Ahhhh, you all sure took your time," let out Rider as he stretched, coming out of spirit form, "Things were so quiet out here, I'm getting a little restless. Though, I'd rather be in a bed right now than wandering around out here."

"Rider... you know that with Saber already summoned, the War has started right?" asked Luvia with a slight glare, "Instead of going back to bed, we should settle our differences right now."

"Geez, figures you'd be in the mood again," her Servant lightly grumbled, "Fine, we'll do it..."

"Edelfelt, there is nothing I'd like more than to shove those words in your face right now," started Rin, her own glare developing, "But... I have a feeling there are other things at stake."

"What do you mean, Tohsaka?" asked the surprised boy.

"Earlier, Noel... I mean, Officer Mackenzie, said something odd," she revealed, drawing everyone's curiosity, "She said something... she was quite secretive, but she said things that happened in the previous Grail War may happen again. Right now, I am hoping to find her tomorrow and get some answers out of her. It feels... disconcerting."

"Well, I suppose you can..." started the blonde...

"Hey, have you finished talking?"

A young voice echoes through the night. Everyone turned and looked up the hill. The revealed moonlight shone down to reveal a large silhouette; a tall and muscular man, his skin white as the pale moonlight with a red tattoo on one side of his body. Two handles, presumably of his weapons, jut out from behind his shoulders. Beside him was a smaller shadow, a young girl dressed in purple, with skin and hair just as white.

"I can't tell..." the Tohsaka muttered out in uncertainty, "It could be Berserker..."

"It must be Berserker... Lancer did not look like that," stated Saber as she pulled off the yellow raincoat, preparing herself.

The little girl smiled.

"Good evening, Onii-chan. It's nice to meet you again."

**Commentary:-**

**King of Beasts, shadow ninja koopa, and... Joe. Correctly deduced who is Caster and Rider. My thanks to everyone who also guessed correctly as well (those who did not review, that is). And now, the Holy Grail War can commence in earnest. And first up? Berserker!**

**Well... not yet. That's next chapter. For this chapter... hmm, this has to be my longest yet. Starting with Saber's POV of her own summoning. And more screen time for Noel. And a very different confrontation near Shirou's house. As well as a little Caster hunting. And then Luvia putting on the moves on Shirou... that didn't come out quite right, doesn't it... hmm... oh well. Soon after, a wild Illya appears!  
**

**Before I forget, Please Read and Review! Would! You! Kindly!**


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